Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters, is set to establish branches in seven U.S. states, including California. The organization aims to strengthen the global influence of Taekwondo and promote collaboration through its California branch by fostering the development of Taekwondo instructors in the state.
On September 12, the California Taekwondo Committee (CTC) announced that Kukkiwon has appointed Master Shin Yong-seob as the head of its California branch.
In addition to California, branch leaders have also been appointed in New Jersey, New York, Chicago, Florida, Washington, D.C., and Texas.
The CTC, founded in 2019 with a core group of 30 Korean-American Taekwondo instructors, also announced that Chairman Jinseob Kim will serve as the Secretary General of the California branch.
Chairman Jinseob Kim stated, “Kukkiwon appointed Shin Yong-seob as the California branch head on September 9, and we will soon sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to officially establish the branch. We expect to have the branch office ready by the end of this year, enabling us to launch systematic efforts to train and promote Taekwondo instructors starting next year.”
In South Korea, several entities, including the government-affiliated Taekwondo Promotion Foundation, the private Korea Taekwondo Association, the World Taekwondo Federation, and Kukkiwon, are actively involved in promoting the martial art.
Kukkiwon, a special corporation, plays a central role in training Taekwondo instructors and issuing official certifications, known as Dan certificates. Its key initiatives include Taekwondo academic research, demonstration teams, dispatching instructors overseas, organizing international Taekwondo festivals, and promoting Taekwondo to foreigners.
The California branch will focus on activities such as overseeing Dan certificate examinations and issuance, providing guidance and support for international instructor qualifications, supplying essential information for running Taekwondo academies, and promoting an integrated management system for Taekwondo facilities.
Shin Yong-seob, the newly appointed branch head, said, “Kukkiwon is recognized globally for issuing Dan certificates, and as the world’s only organization that certifies these credentials, we are committed to providing systematic education for instructors, developing Taekwondo, and advancing its global promotion.”
He added, “Currently, approximately 1,400 Taekwondo schools operate in California, including those run by Korean-American instructors. However, only 25% of them issue Kukkiwon Dan certificates. With the establishment of the California branch, we aim to expand cooperation among Taekwondo practitioners in the state and increase the issuance of internationally recognized Dan certificates.”
Potential locations for the California branch office include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Irvine, and Fullerton. Membership registration is also open, and for new member Taekwondo schools with fewer than 100 students, Kukkiwon plans to provide a free integrated management system for their operations.
For more information, contact: (213) 369-1904, jinseobtkd@gmail.com.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, YOUNGNAM KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
